Something a little different for today. The Beatles Christmas Record for 1963 sent out to fan club members.

Tuesday, 24 December, 1963

The Beatles launch the full version of their seasonal stage production “The Beatles’ Christmas Show” at the Astoria Cinema in the Finsbury Park area of London.

Concieved and produced by manage Brian Epstein, the Christmas show was more in line with a traditional British theater variety show than a rock concert, combining comedy sketches and pantomime along with the music.

As well as The Beatles, the cast included (in running order) The Barron Knights, Tommy Quickly, The Fourmost, Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas, Cilla Black and comedian Rolf Harris. The show was designed to run for 120 minutes with The Beatles topping to bill with a 25 minute set.

The Beatles set was made up of Roll Over Beethoven, All My Loving, This Boy, I Wanna Be Your Man, She Loves You, Till There Was You, I Want To Hold Your Hand, Money and Twist & Shout, as well as participation in various sketches and routines throughout the show.

For this Christmas Eve opening night there was only one show to allow the various acts time to fly back to Liverpool so they could spend Christmas Day back home with their families.

Sunday, 22 December, 1963

The Beatles perform a second “songs only” preview/rehearsal of their upcoming Christmas show at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool.

Saturday, 21 December, 1963

The Beatles perform a show at the Gaumont Cinema in Bradford. This show is basically run through of the songs for their upcoming “The Beatles’ Christmas Show.”

Wednesday, 18 December, 1963

At the BBC Paris Studios in London, The Beatles record a two-hour radio special to be broadcast on the Boxing Day Holiday (26th December). Originally developed under the title Beatletime, the show was renamed as From Us To You and The Beatles recorded a suitable altered version of From Me To You to be used as the show’s theme song.

The show was hosted by Australian comedian Rolf Harris and also featured seven other acts. Along with chatter and jokes, listeners heard The Beatles perform She Loves You, All My Loving, Roll Over Beethoven, Till There Was You, Boys, Money (That’s What I Want), I Saw Her Standing There and I Want To Hold Your Hand.

Tuesday, 17 December, 1963

At the Playhouse Theatre in London, The Beatles tape an appearance for the BBC radio show Saturday Club to be broadcast on 21st December.

The group performed six songs, All My Loving, This Boy, I Want To Hold Your Hand, Till There Was You, Roll Over Beethoven and She Loves You as well as two fun numbers, a scat style All I Want For Christmas Is A Bottle and the Crimble Mudley, a 29 second medley made up of extracts from Love Me Do, Please Please Me, From Me To You, She Loves You, I Want To Hold Your Hand and Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer!

Sunday, 15 December, 1963

The Beatles tape a special Merseybeat edition of the ABC Television pop program Thank Your Lucky Stars at the Aplha TV Studios in Birmingham. Also appearing were Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas, Cilla Black (singing the Lennon & McCartney song – Love of the Love), Tommy Quickly, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Breakaways, The Searchers,

Cavern club DJ Bob Wooler also appeared on the show’s “Spin-A-Disc” record review segment.

The Beatles performed to I Want To Hold Your Hand, All My Loving, Twist and Shout, and She Loves You as well as being presented with a couple of gold discs.

The show would be broadcast on 21st December – and you can check out the show in its entirety below.

Saturday, 14th December, 1963

The Beatles play a special gig at the Wimbledon Palais for 3000 members of the Southern Area Beatles Fan Club. After the gig the Fab Four lined up at the Palais’ bar and shock hands with each one of the 3000 audience members as they filed past.

Friday, 13 December, 1963

The Beatles “Autumn Tour,” that began on 1st November, finally comes to an end with a performance at the Gaumont Cinema in Southampton.

Thursday, 12 December, 1963

The Beatles play at the Odeon Cinema in Nottingham.